British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[bay_girl2]

Hey folks, got my text today to say my passport was on the way (interview was Saturday). I'm just wondering if I have to sign for it when it arrives? I didn't have to sign for the returned documents, so I'm curious.

[vallae14]

Application Type: New (naturalised) adult
Method of application: Self
Date of application: 02/12/2015
Application Received:03/12/2015
Date of interview letter:10/12/2015
Date of interview booked:09/12/2015
Date of interview:10/12/2015
Date of return of documents:09/12/2015
SMS received :11/12/2015
Date of Passport received:14/12/2015

That's the long process ended. From 29/04/2015 to 14/12/2015. Almost 8 Months.
All I can say is a big thank you for this forum's guidance. Good luck to everyone else. Have a merry Christmas for any remaining applicants.

[hksujan]

You can choose where to book your interview and for which day. The interview is not pre-booked for you and interviews are available on weekends and in the evenings too. Same referee is fine. One envelope is fine.

P.S. this thread/topic is for TIMELINES ONLY, not general application questions.

Much appreciate it...CR001

[CR001]

You can choose where to book your interview and for which day. The interview is not pre-booked for you and interviews are available on weekends and in the evenings too. Same referee is fine. One envelope is fine.

P.S. this thread/topic is for TIMELINES ONLY, not general application questions.

[hksujan]

******************************* PLEASE HELP ME ..... NEED YOUR VALUABLE ADVISE**************************************

Hello everyone,
Me & my wife going to apply for our first British passport soon. We applied our naturalisation together & got approval after 5months , funny enough both approval letter came together. Then applied for Oath ceremony together again...

It's time to apply for our new British Passport. Anyone of you please let me know whether we should put 2 passport application in one big envelope? So that they can interview us at the same venue. It would be big inconvenience if one of us get an interview in London or near London & the other one in Ireland! ( She do't drive...Mean I've to take another day off for her interview ... )


Moreover, on the reference section ... Can the same person provide reference who did for our Naturalisation application?

Many thanks in advance
Sujan

[kais]

Hi

Something to check does every one has to receive SMS first and then receive passport or they can send passport without SMS , asking Bcoz I Applied passport Online and after passport interview its online status says Dispatched, now does it means they have send my passport ? as I have not receive any SMS yet.

Thanks

[bayraktar]

Application Type: New (Naturalised)
Method of application: Check and send post office
Date of application: 05/12/2015
Date of documents posted: 05/12/2015
Date of interview letter:
Date of interview booked:
Date of interview:
Date of return of documents:
Date of SMS received:
Date of passport receipt:

My document sent to Peterborough but still no news, hopefully next week i can hear somethings )

[chrisonzen]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (naturalised)
Method of application: Secure Delivery
Date of application: 01/12/15
Date of receiving the application: 02/12/15
Date of return of documents: 10/12/15 Dated for 11/12/15
Interview letter: 11/12/15
Date interview booked: 11/12/15
Date of interview: 15/12/15
Date of SMS received:
Date of passport receipt:

[valw]

Passport for: Adult (husband and wife applied at same time)
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 30/11/2015
Date application received by IPS: 01/12/2015. YET received confirmation from HM Passport office that the application was received by then on 08/12/2015 - suppose that was when they opened the post / envelopes. (one week after actually receiving)....

Date of return of documents: Husband - 09/12/2015, Wife - 11/12/2015.

Date of receipt of interview letter: Awaiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Awaiting
Date of Passport Receipt

[Abdoul1979]

What does the SMS say please

HM Passport

Your new passport should arrive within a few working days. Keep it safe. Report any loss at http://www.gov.uk. Your supporting documents will be returned separately.

Thanks for answering my question, I had this message today lol
Will be waiting home the coming days to received it .
Good luck to those waiting

[Mind_The_Gap]

What does the SMS say please

HM Passport

Your new passport should arrive within a few working days. Keep it safe. Report any loss at www.gov.uk. Your supporting documents will be returned separately.

[torikelly91]

Hello,
I would be grateful if you could advise or share your experience
I recently got my approval but when I called the council to book the ceremony, i was told that the earliest private ceremony was 24th december.
The problem is that i have a trip booked from 22nd to 1st Jan!
I called other councils and they can book me earlier but my certificate is with kensington council.
What should I do? Can i ask them to send it to another council so I can book a ceremony earlier?
Also, assuming I can book a ceremony and apply for a passport next monday for exemple, do you think i have a chance that my current passport is returned before december, 22nd?

Perhaps book a group ceremony in January or ask them next date of private ceremony.

[Abdoul1979]

What does the SMS say please

[Latoya]

Sorry for posting here, just realised it is timeline only..
Where can I post ? Thanks

[Latoya]

Hello,
I would be grateful if you could advise or share your experience
I recently got my approval but when I called the council to book the ceremony, i was told that the earliest private ceremony was 24th december.
The problem is that i have a trip booked from 22nd to 1st Jan!
I called other councils and they can book me earlier but my certificate is with kensington council.
What should I do? Can i ask them to send it to another council so I can book a ceremony earlier?
Also, assuming I can book a ceremony and apply for a passport next monday for exemple, do you think i have a chance that my current passport is returned before december, 22nd?

[Mind_The_Gap]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (naturalised)
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 24/11/15
Date of return of documents: 27/11/15
Interview letter: 03/12/15 (dated 27/11/15)
Date interview booked: 03/12/15
Date of interview: 04/12/2015
Date of SMS received: 07/12/15
Date of passport receipt: 08/12/15

The journey was a little easier thanks to the wonderful moderators and members of this forum. A big thanks to everyone!

-----------

Eligibility criteria: Tier 1(G) 5 years + ILR 1 year
Language criteria: LIUK + IELTS (2009)
Method of application: NCS
Council name - NCS Wandsworth
Date of application: 13/04/2015
Payment method: Credit Card
Date of receipt by UKBA: 14/04/2015
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 08/05/2015
Date of acknowledgment: 13/05/2015 (dated 08/05/2015)
Date of Biometric invitation: 13/05/2015 (dated 08/05/2015)
Date of Biometrics : 14/05/2015
Date approval received: 17/11/05 (dated 04/11/15)
Date of ceremony: 24/11/05

[bay_girl2]

I applied on line on Nov. 25 and my supporting documents were received on Nov 26. I got my documents back last Friday (December 04) but haven't heard anything about the interview. I'm a little paranoid and stressed because the Home Office took 6 months and 2 days to process my Nationalization application. As its getting close to Christmas and scared of a holiday delay.
I'm not sure about calling them because I have no reference number and don't want to tick them off....should I call?

Yes you should!! Call now!! They're open until 8pm!!

Even my passport interview letter has not yet arrived and I've already finished the whole process and got my passport today. I applied online Nov 28, docs received Dec 1.

Call their advice line 0300 222 0000 to check up on your application status. My application was logged 2 days after receipt, and a day or two later an interview letter was supposedly sent out as I was told over the phone (which means I can book an interview), although I still haven't received the actual letter over a week later. You don't need to wait for it. Ask them about your application status. IF they say they are still examining it, don't worry, just call them again the next day, they're so busy and numerous that you're guaranteed to have a different person answer every time anyway. Just keep calling until someone says it's ready and an interview can be booked. They will assure you that you don't need to wait for the letter.

Either way, I am extremely sure that you can book an interview by now. They're working very fast these days and you've applied even before I did!

You DO have a reference number. It's the number on your declaration form! You only need that number in order to check the status/book an interview. (Also, don't worry, these people are impossible to tick off... HMPO staff are extremely friendly!)

As soon as it's ready, call 0300 222 1000 and book an interview. Once an interview has been booked, they will give you an interview reference number, and email you a letter which you can print out and bring to the interview office.

If you are in a hurry for the holidays etc, make sure you ask them for the soonest possible interview date, even if it means it's a bit father from where you live. For example, they gave me a date for Thursday for the office nearest to me, but I asked them to check for the availabilities for the other offices in the South to see if I can get an earlier date, so they gave me one on Tuesday in Portsmouth instead, which wasn't even that much farther away from where I live.

Any more questions please don't hesitate to ask. Good luck!

Thank you so so much for urging me to call!! Just off the phone, interview appointment booked for Saturday morning!! She said there seems to be a problem with the letters that should be going out! Yaaaaay!!!

[padhme]

I applied on line on Nov. 25 and my supporting documents were received on Nov 26. I got my documents back last Friday (December 04) but haven't heard anything about the interview. I'm a little paranoid and stressed because the Home Office took 6 months and 2 days to process my Nationalization application. As its getting close to Christmas and scared of a holiday delay.
I'm not sure about calling them because I have no reference number and don't want to tick them off....should I call?

Yes you should!! Call now!! They're open until 8pm!!

Even my passport interview letter has not yet arrived and I've already finished the whole process and got my passport today. I applied online Nov 28, docs received Dec 1.

Call their advice line 0300 222 0000 to check up on your application status. My application was logged 2 days after receipt, and a day or two later an interview letter was supposedly sent out as I was told over the phone (which means I can book an interview), although I still haven't received the actual letter over a week later. You don't need to wait for it. Ask them about your application status. IF they say they are still examining it, don't worry, just call them again the next day, they're so busy and numerous that you're guaranteed to have a different person answer every time anyway. Just keep calling until someone says it's ready and an interview can be booked. They will assure you that you don't need to wait for the letter.

Either way, I am extremely sure that you can book an interview by now. They're working very fast these days and you've applied even before I did!

You DO have a reference number. It's the number on your declaration form! You only need that number in order to check the status/book an interview. (Also, don't worry, these people are impossible to tick off... HMPO staff are extremely friendly!)

As soon as it's ready, call 0300 222 1000 and book an interview. Once an interview has been booked, they will give you an interview reference number, and email you a letter which you can print out and bring to the interview office.

If you are in a hurry for the holidays etc, make sure you ask them for the soonest possible interview date, even if it means it's a bit father from where you live. For example, they gave me a date for Thursday for the office nearest to me, but I asked them to check for the availabilities for the other offices in the South to see if I can get an earlier date, so they gave me one on Tuesday in Portsmouth instead, which wasn't even that much farther away from where I live.

Any more questions please don't hesitate to ask. Good luck!

[padhme]

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (First time - Registered)
Method of application: Online + Postal
Date of application: 27/11/2015, posted 28/11/2015
Date application received by IPS: 30/11/2015, logged 01/12/2015
Location of IPS Office involved: Peterborough
Date of return of documents: 05/12/2015
Date of receipt of interview letter: N/A - Called to book it on 04/12/2015
Date of Passport Appointment: 08/12/2015
Date of SMS Received: 09/12/2015
Date of Passport Receipt: 10/12/2015

Took only 2 days from the interview to get the passport, and the interview lady was EXTREMELY friendly. Very happy with the service!! Such a stark difference between how you are treated as an immigrant with HO, and as a British citizen with HMPO. Finally my journey has come to a conclusion. What a surreal feeling to hold this beautiful passport in my hand. Here's to a life of hassle-free travel. Good luck to all those still waiting!!

[bay_girl2]

I applied on line on Nov. 25 and my supporting documents were received on Nov 26. I got my documents back last Friday (December 04) but haven't heard anything about the interview. I'm a little paranoid and stressed because the Home Office took 6 months and 2 days to process my Nationalization application. As its getting close to Christmas and scared of a holiday delay.
I'm not sure about calling them because I have no reference number and don't want to tick them off....should I call?

[Nitro]

Hey hi,

No I booked it over the phone. I rang then them the very next day after they received my documents and the guy checked it and said you can go ahead and book an interview.

Just try ringing again and see if you get a nice helpful person. The fact that they sent your documents may dictate that your application is ready for Interview.

Best regards
Nitro

[kais]

@NITRO

Hi

Did you book interview upon receipt of your interview letter or they let you book interview without interview letter? I applied same date ONLINE my documents have been returned on 7/12/15 but no interview letter, I rang once to book knowing some did manage to book interview without letter but I was told I should wait for the interview letter so that I could have correct REFERENCE number when i book interview.

please advice.

Thanks

[Nitro]

Current nationality: Indian
Date of ceremony:27/11/2015( Private £225 rip off)
Date of BP Application:28/11/2015( online)
Date of BP Interview:5/12/2015 Cardiff
Date of BP SMS: 8/12/2015
Date of BP Receipt: 9/12/2015

[JS69]

Application Type: New (naturalised) adult
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 18/11/2015
Application Received:20/11/2015
Date of interview letter: 05/12/2015
Date of interview booked: 05/12/2015
Date of interview: 08/12/2015
Date of return of documents: 28/11/2015
SMS received : 09/12/2015
Date of passport receipt:

Had the interview at victoria office, the lady was so polite and friendly didn't feel like an interview at all, just a casual conversation. She asked me about my education and work history/ bank accounts, credit cards / my current work and residential area. The status on their website shows 'Dispatched'. Guess a long journey comes to an end. This forum has helped a lot and saved me a lot of money too, so a big thank you to everyone.

cheers & good luck to everyone else waiting.

[valw]

Passport for: Adult (husband and wife applied at same time)
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 30/11/2015
Date application received by IPS: 01/12/2015
Date of return of documents: Husband - 09/12/2015, Wife not yet received.
Date of receipt of interview letter: Awaiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Awaiting
Date of Passport Receipt